At our dog park, there is a small collie who loves to chase cars..up and down by the side of the road he goes, whenever he is there.
He does stay on the boulevard, but only within inches of the road. Problem is, the drivers don't know he stays off the road. Nor do the dogs who are lured by his activity necessarily stay on the road.
The owner of this dog says there's nothing she can do, as the dog's been doing it for five years. She also deliberately walks next to the roadside so is obviously not bothered.
But as one who's nearly had a crash, and seen many other near-misses as a result of psycho road-collie (my nickname!) I need some advice.
We talked to her tonight and she has no interest in reigning in her dog or retraining it. I'm concerned there is going to be an incident/accident and the anti-dog park people are going to out in droves to try and close the park again.
Suggestions? Comments?

luckypenny

November 13th, 2009, 11:40 PM

Are there no leash laws in Edmonton? Report it :shrug:.

Frenchy

November 13th, 2009, 11:41 PM

Call the police. Tell them it's dangerous for the drivers. Usually police will move if it involves people security ..... than if you say you're afraid for the dog's well being. :sad:

14+kitties

November 13th, 2009, 11:47 PM

If he is doing it at the dog park he must be doing it at his own home too. Too bad you can't find out where she lives. Definitely a safety hazard to drivers and to himself. Dumb owner! :yell:

rainbow

November 13th, 2009, 11:55 PM

I agree that you should report it to the police, your city hall and also to the SPCA ......good luck and keep us updated. :fingerscr :goodvibes:

Bailey_

November 14th, 2009, 12:00 AM

If this is happening at the park I think it's happening at (the one by the zoo?) this might be difficult to have it stopped, mainly because the park is at the end of the road. (The reason I ask is because I have seen a few dogs get excited by cars passing the park and turning into the zoo's parking lot, it sounds like a similiar situation.)

But I agree with the above suggestions to report it. If nothing else, continue to voice your thoughts when you see this woman at the park. Stupid owners!! :wall:

Gail P

November 14th, 2009, 12:18 AM

When you have spoken to the woman, have you brought up the liability issue? If there is an accident caused because of her dog (even if it doesn't actually run in front of a car, someone might think it is about to and loose control if they swerve), she might find herself being sued. Might be worth bringing it up to her, sometimes money speaks louder to some people than anything else.

Etown_Chick

November 15th, 2009, 06:17 PM

Gail,
we've spoken to her and she doesn't seem at all interested. We did bring up the issue that her dog is going to cause an accident. I figured out what she's driving, so will report her to bylaw first, and see what happens. I suspect it will take an accident for her to take it seriously, and an accident will be more ammunition for the people who want the park closed..sigh.

Bailey, no it's not Laurier. I always leash Scruffy before the parking lot at Laurier for exactly that reason. It's Grand Trunk park, and it's an unfenced park beside a fairly busy road.
Thanks for your support gang, will keep you all posted.

Bailey_

November 15th, 2009, 08:14 PM

Oh, I don't think I've been to that park. Keep us posted and let us know what happens!

rainbow

November 15th, 2009, 08:22 PM

Good luck again ....I hope something can be done before an accident happens. :fingerscr :goodvibes:

mona_b

November 15th, 2009, 08:36 PM

So this woman has her dog on a leash while he is doing this?
If so, I really don't think the bylaw(animal) will really do much. If the dog is not on a leash, that may be a different story.. You can call the Ploice Station and talk to someone there..Explain what has been happening and what this dog is doing..Tell them what the dog is doing is causing near miss accidents and someone is going to get hurt. See what they can do.

Good luck.

Etown_Chick

November 15th, 2009, 09:26 PM

mona ya it's offleash, on the sidewalk next to an offleash park...legally I think the mutt should be leashed at that point...will keep you all posted.

mona_b

November 16th, 2009, 08:35 PM

If you have a leash law, then yeah, he should be on a leash...But then again, leash law or not, all dogs SHOULD be leashed.

Can't wait to hear the outcome of this.

Etown_Chick

November 17th, 2009, 11:41 PM

Well, as I arrived at the park yesterday, I noticed a bylaw van and two officers. Road Collie and owner were leaving. She flipped out on my friend, the one who had asked her to keep her dog away from the road.
Neither my friend or I actually called bylaw, and I don't know if she was charged or not, but it was pretty funny!
Anyway I hope it put a scare into her, as she's convinced she is not responsible for anything that happens as a result of her dog running loose by the road...sigh.
The more humans I meet, the more I love my dog.

rainbow

November 18th, 2009, 12:40 AM

Well if they didn't charge her, then let's at least hope that they convinced her to keep her dog leashed. :fingerscr

Macomom

November 18th, 2009, 09:38 AM

My friends dog ran out into the road and was hit by a car.
The owner of the car _almost_ sued my friend for the damage caused by the dog. At the time it sounded so strange to me :shrug: The vet bill for the dog was $5000, and the owner was going to sue her for damages to his car as well.
She managed to settle it out with the owner of the car. I had no idea there was so much liability...
Live and learn, I guess.

Love4himies

November 18th, 2009, 10:22 AM

Well, as I arrived at the park yesterday, I noticed a bylaw van and two officers. Road Collie and owner were leaving. She flipped out on my friend, the one who had asked her to keep her dog away from the road.
Neither my friend or I actually called bylaw, and I don't know if she was charged or not, but it was pretty funny!
Anyway I hope it put a scare into her, as she's convinced she is not responsible for anything that happens as a result of her dog running loose by the road...sigh.
The more humans I meet, the more I love my dog.

This is the same type of human that thinks their children are perfect and are entitled to everything and it is OK for everybody to be inconvienced by them. :rolleyes:. I feel sorry for the dog, it doesn't know any better and this person obviously doesn't care about it. :sad:

mona_b

November 18th, 2009, 08:13 PM

Maybe calls came in from people fed up with Road Collie and owner...If they were smart, the would have fined her for the dog being off leash.

Ohhhhh I'm sure this won't be the last of this situation....:)

Equla

November 18th, 2009, 08:58 PM

Here's the thing that gets me about the situation. Even if it is an off-leash area, you still have to have control over your dog... at least that's the law in my area.

Example: There is a guy in my neighborhood who has 3 dogs (shephard, border collie, and curly mixed something). I see him in our neighborhood park with his dogs off-leash playing fetch. They also run with him while he is riding his bike. Saw him at a convenience store near a very busy street and the dogs were waiting for him while he was in the store. Never once have I seen a leash on these dogs... or maybe it's an invisible one. They are incredibly well behaved and I don't think they even notice their surroundings. Their attention is 100% focused on him. All of these areas he is in are technically leashed areas and he COULD get a ticket if someone reported him, but I doubt anyone ever would as he has perfect control over them.

Example: There is a boxer in my neighborhood who runs free at all hours of the day and night. Comes to my house an picks fights with my dogs through the gate or window. Poos in the neighborhood park (no one picks it up), and darts into traffic constantly. I also don't think the owners have a leash for the dog. Their method of control over the dog is to let him run around and do what he wants and then when it's time to go inside they run down the street trying to catch him. Those owners need the ticket.

Moral of the story, if you have control over the dog, let him off leash... but only if there is complete control. If you don't have 100% control, keep them leashed. The dog doesn't understand where the boundaries of the un-fenced off-leash area are. I don't care if it's fenced. If the dog doesn't come when called, you shouldn't have them off-leash anywhere but your own house. What happens if there is a dog fight (they happen to the best of dogs)?

Oy! Ignorant owners annoy me.

Longblades

November 18th, 2009, 09:15 PM

My friends dog ran out into the road and was hit by a car.
The owner of the car _almost_ sued my friend for the damage caused by the dog. At the time it sounded so strange to me The vet bill for the dog was $5000, and the owner was going to sue her for damages to his car as well.
She managed to settle it out with the owner of the car. I had no idea there was so much liability...Yep, happened with people we know too. The dog, a big GSD who was allowed to run loose and was known to chase cars on the highway, was killed. When her owner went out to tell the driver not to worry about it the driver pointed out all the damage to his car and insisted it be paid for. The only good thing is that this made the bad owner think twice about getting another dog and he didn't.

Frenchy

November 18th, 2009, 09:51 PM

the driver pointed out all the damage to his car and insisted it be paid for.

I would also sue the owner , not for damaging my car , but for the damages to ME ! Because if I ever hit a dog , I won't forgive myself. And I know it would give me nightmares for a long time :sad: all of this because a stupid owner who didn't care about the well being of his dog ....

There is a reason there are leash laws. For the safety of all involved.

It really irks me that I am a law-abiding citizen that drives the speed limit (much to the chagrin of those driving around me), pay my taxes (oh, don't we all love THAT joy), and keep my dogs on a frickin leash! Why do some people think they are above the law?

Good lord, I get stressed when I pass a cop if I'm not paying attention and go 5 miles over the speed limit!

Once again, it's all how you are raised, I guess.

Etown_Chick

November 19th, 2009, 10:34 PM

Y'all are right, the lady is clueless, she has no control over her dog and may not be as attached to it as some of us are to ours. I tend to walk in the middle of the park just IN CASE scruffy even thinks about going near the road...
Equla,
we have a roaming dog like that in our 'hood as well. This one is small and loves to rip everyone's garbage open. People just toss their ripped up garbage in his back yard, and he still doesn't get it...some people!